The Fun We Dread!

Recently I had a conversation with a client about taking a break. She obviously needed a break, tired, grumpy, complaining, and just no energy. When I asked what she could do to have fun, she gave me a few examples of the things she'd like to do then paused and with a sigh, said, "yeah, the fun I dread."

She explained it by telling me all the things she had to do, BEFORE, she could go do something fun. It was like fun became a far away destination, and the only way to get there was a long arduous journey through the treacherous minefields of to-do lists and back-breaking work.

I wondered if I was treating fun the same way. Was there a 'critical path to achieving the fun thing' voice in my head and if so, that didn’t seem like a lot of fun.

I thought about the two couples I have coming for dinner tomorrow night. I had a lot to do before they arrived. Here’s a partial list: check recipes for ingredients, shop for the groceries, go to the wine store, clean the house, set the table, make the sauce ahead of time, decide what to wear (ugh, still have that excess stress weight), purchase fresh bread day of party, flowers, and last minute chocolates for table decoration.

AND THEN, I can have fun.

Soooo, that’s not working. I called my guests, each one is now bringing something. The dessert and salad are now not my responsibility. My significant other is making his famous meatballs, and I decided that the whole house doesn't need to be cleaned just the kitchen and bathrooms. Further, since it's still winter, I don't care if I have those few extra LB's, they're keeping me warm. I happily suggested my guests wear whatever is comfortable, and they can come in yoga pants for all I care!